We cobbled together college costs with merit aid, need-based aid, loans in the students’ names, work study, and pay as you go (from income and savings). After D1 graduated, I paid off the balance of her loans ($20,000-25,000) using money from our much lower interest HELOC. I have since paid that back. I made the same offer to D2, but she chose to pay back her own loans, about $12,000, herself. She has a raincheck for the gift.